Cape Town - A community-wide clean-up campaign brought residents, local businesses, and community groups together to get their hands dirty.
The campaign, which started in Bellville yesterday, forms part of the City’s Better Bellville Together Campaign, which is being rolled out by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP).
Economic growth Mayco member James Vos said: “The purpose of the Better Bellville Together campaign is to improve and sustain the area’s beautification, provide cleaner production, eradicate illegal dumping and littering, promote recycling, and educate the public on the best waste management practices.”
This clean-up will take place twice a month until the end of June, and volunteers will receive the necessary tools and guidance to take part.
GTP CEO Warren Hewitt said: “Bellville has seen dramatic growth in commuters and community activity as a result of being the City’s busiest transport interchange, and with that growth came wear and tear to the existing infrastructure. This has led to the perception of Bellville being dirty and unattractive.”
Delving deeper into the root cause, Hewitt said it became apparent that although the City’s initiatives in cleaning the area were effective, it did not change the overall perception of the area.
This was where the Better Bellville Campaign came in, to address and positively change some of these more subliminal perceptions.
“Addressing these perceptions will be done through initiatives around public space management such as illegal signage and graffiti removal; upgrading of lighting in public spaces; beautification by planting on main arterials; use of paint to uplift building facades; accelerated waste and recycling education; waste management for separation at source; and a highly qualified infrastructure team to improve pavements, paving, windows and boglands,” Hewitt said.Candice
Mostert, waste project management lead for the Better Bellville Together initiative, said: “For an area like Bellville to thrive, it is important that the community are involved in all avenues of a local system, and waste is no exception.
“We want the residents and businesses of Bellville to come and show their support for a cleaner Bellville, and actively be part of the waste solution.”
kristin.engel@inl.co.za